Rumors Fiat Chrysler Reportedly Considering Spinning Off Maserati and Alfa Romeo

[Centurion]

Great. I guess they are just exiting the the B-Segment but remaining in the C-Segment. The Fiat 500 could see the addition of a 5 door variant to pick up scraps left by the MiTo.

 

[Giannis]

What a rubbish decision. The cars most in need of replacements will now be cancelled. Crossover might be cash cow but hatchbacks serve a big purpose in introducing people to a brand and building loyalty ahead of move into a bigger car.

I was looking forward to a MiTo with the driving finesse of a Giulia.

Alfa Romeo Mito to be axed in early 2019 | Autocar

Fiat Punto taken off sale after 13 years | Autocar

I was under the impression that the Punto was FIAT's cash cow for many years. Not making a new one seems like a bad decision.

 

[Centurion]

I was under the impression that the Punto was FIAT's cash cow for many years. Not making a new one seems like a bad decision.

I thought so too. Maybe the Lancia Ypsilon has displaced it.

 

[anti-VAG]

Great. I guess they are just exiting the the B-Segment but remaining in the C-Segment. The Fiat 500 could see the addition of a 5 door variant to pick up scraps left by the MiTo.

500 Giardiniera is in the plans:

It's mentioned in a CO2 Regulatory Compliance presentation of a new plan:
https://www.fcagroup.com/capitalmar...June 1 2018 CMD_CO2 Regulatory Compliance.pdf

 

[Centurion]

500 Giardiniera

Will there be an ICE version? Having been to holiday at Lake Garda this year, the roads are dominated by affordable hatchbacks. The majority of big cars spotted had German plates.

 

[Serpens]

I was under the impression that the Punto was FIAT's cash cow for many years. Not making a new one seems like a bad decision.

They don't want to invest in something with a razor slim profit margin. That's been FCA's drumbeat for a while now.

What a rubbish decision. The cars most in need of replacements will now be cancelled. Crossover might be cash cow but hatchbacks serve a big purpose in introducing people to a brand and building loyalty ahead of move into a bigger car.

I was looking forward to a MiTo with the driving finesse of a Giulia.

Alfa Romeo Mito to be axed in early 2019 | Autocar

Fiat Punto taken off sale after 13 years | Autocar

The writing was on the wall with those ones. The minimal investment in them should've told you a follow up act wasn't going. FCA doesn't want to produce anything that doesn't make them a significant profit. Very basic cars for sale in markets like the U.S. and Europe aren't really part of the go-forward strategy and haven't been for some time.

 

[Centurion]

The writing was on the wall with those ones. The minimal investment in them should've told you a follow up act wasn't going. FCA doesn't want to produce anything that doesn't make them a significant profit. Very basic cars for sale in markets like the U.S. and Europe aren't really part of the go-forward strategy and haven't been for some time.

It makes sense to consolidate the line-up and discontinue cars that don't contribute enough to the bottom line or brand image. With enough budget behind the, the Fiat 500 and Panda should have the lower end market covered. The 500 is a popular rental car in many European countries.

 

[Rolf]

But I also heard this promising rumor:

The new Giulietta is coming as RWD built on the Giulia platform and as a small SUV.

This is what Alfa need to be recognized again as a true drivers car brand and a more credible rival for the 3 big germans. The Giulia and Stelvio have been very well received by motoring presses world wide, just imagine that chassis in a smaller nimbler car and this could be the car to give BMW nightmares why they didn't keep the 1 series as RWD. Even more thrilling would be a Giuletta QV with a retuned 450PS version of that wonderful V6

 

[anti-VAG]

Will there be an ICE version?

AFAIK yes. And if you look carefully into plans what else in the line-up could use a naturally aspirate 1 liter engine with a 12 Volts BSG mild hybrid set-up. Panda, 500 and most likely 500 Giardiniera. Plan says 3 nameplates in total with such a technology. Certainly not a 500L and 500X.

 

[Giannis]

They don't want to invest in something with a razor slim profit margin. That's been FCA's drumbeat for a while now.

But FIAT is not Rolls Royce.

They make affordable cars. Therefore profit is generated by the volume of sales. They can't expect to roll out 80k SUVs!

 

[Serpens]

But FIAT is not Rolls Royce.

They make affordable cars. Therefore profit is generated by the volume of sales. They can't expect to roll out 80k SUVs!

It's the same story with Chrysler in the U.S. I can only assume FCA is comfortable with saying "the only good volume is volume from a crossover/van". It's an interesting strategy for sure...

 

[Centurion]

It's the same story with Chrysler in the U.S. I can only assume FCA is comfortable with saying "the only good volume is volume from a crossover/van". It's an interesting strategy for sure...

Ford's new strategy for the US is similar.